I used to carry larger knives than I do now. It wasn't unusual once upon a time for me to pull out a large, almost 5 inch Eye-Brand sodbuster or large Case soddie to cutsomething. Even though my edc was a 3 7/8ths Buck stockman, I'd now and then carry something a bit bigger. But times change.
As I grew older, and I hope and prey a bit wiser, I downsized my edc in all things, cutlery included. It was then I noticed something about the non knife carrying people reaction to knives in general, and traditional knives in particular.
They don't seem to be seen as a threat like some of the black handle one hand wonders. Particularly if they have some intersting handle material. I noticed that stag and jigged bone of various colors seem to make it more acceptable for some odd reason. Not to meniton I've had some of my knives called cute. I'm not sure how I feel about that, but I guess it's better than having them start bleeting like a herd of sheep when a wolf is around.
Not too long ago I had to go into a Staples store to get a new filler for my Cross pen. I hate plastic bags and packaging so I usually refuse a bag and then disgard the packaging soon as possable. On this occasion I paid for the filler, and the teenaged girl went to bag it and I told her don't bother. I then took my Vic classic and ran the blade down the edge of the plastic blister pack and took out the filler to put it right into my pen. The store being empty at that time of morning, there was no line, and I wasn't holding anayone up. The girl watched me free up the new filler and was actually interested in my classic. She thought it was cute, and how cool it was to carry a little knife on my keyring.
Another time I was at Lowes getting some sand, and a middle aged woman was trying to tear open the sheet of plastic that was wrapped around a pallet of mulch. I offered to help, and took out a stag handled Hen and Rooster half stockman from the late 60's early 70's period. I sliced open the plastic cover on the pallet, and the lady asked what kind of knife that was. She was looking at it very intently, and I showed her the knife and she asked what kind of handlle that was. I explained abut Indian sambar stag, and she ran her finger over the ridges and popcorns, remarking how beautiful it was.
When I was having a difficulty with my left hand after hand surgery, a friend gave me a little peanut sized Bear Cutlery lockblade with a stag handle. That little knife got more comments than most of my other knives ever got. It seemed like everytime I took it out to cut something, I got a question on it. Even Karen was not immune after being around and me various knives for all these years. She liked it so much, it now rides in her purse as back up to her classic.
Years ago, my old Boker 240 with the rosewood scales got a lot of positive comments from both men and women. Not too long ago, a little yellow peanut got so much of a positive reaction from a young couple outside an IKEA store, I gave it too the young man. He had needed to cut some of the cord they have on a roll outside for people to tie stuff on the roof with, and somebody had walked off with the cheap sissors, so I loaned him my knife. It was less painful than watch him try to saw his way through some tough polypropoline line with his car key. He got to reminising about his grandfather, who carried a knife like that, so I told him to keep it and just give me coin.
With the rising amount of anti-knife stuff going on, I can only wonder if more people were exposed to traditional knives, would there be less bleeting. It seems like the rise of the black tactical stuff that people carry these days do not have the same acceptance as a small stockman, or maybe a yellow handle soddie, let alone a nice jigged bone or stag handle pocket knife. The red handle sak's and natural handle traditionals don't seem to stir any negative feelings like the other knives. Maybe because no Hollyweird movie has shown a slow two hand pocket knife used for mayhem.
I don't know where I'm going with this, just chewing over food for thought.
Maybe as traditional knife users, we are some sort of positive ambasadors for our hobby.
Or maybe I just havn't had my second cup of coffee yet.
Carl
As I grew older, and I hope and prey a bit wiser, I downsized my edc in all things, cutlery included. It was then I noticed something about the non knife carrying people reaction to knives in general, and traditional knives in particular.
They don't seem to be seen as a threat like some of the black handle one hand wonders. Particularly if they have some intersting handle material. I noticed that stag and jigged bone of various colors seem to make it more acceptable for some odd reason. Not to meniton I've had some of my knives called cute. I'm not sure how I feel about that, but I guess it's better than having them start bleeting like a herd of sheep when a wolf is around.
Not too long ago I had to go into a Staples store to get a new filler for my Cross pen. I hate plastic bags and packaging so I usually refuse a bag and then disgard the packaging soon as possable. On this occasion I paid for the filler, and the teenaged girl went to bag it and I told her don't bother. I then took my Vic classic and ran the blade down the edge of the plastic blister pack and took out the filler to put it right into my pen. The store being empty at that time of morning, there was no line, and I wasn't holding anayone up. The girl watched me free up the new filler and was actually interested in my classic. She thought it was cute, and how cool it was to carry a little knife on my keyring.
Another time I was at Lowes getting some sand, and a middle aged woman was trying to tear open the sheet of plastic that was wrapped around a pallet of mulch. I offered to help, and took out a stag handled Hen and Rooster half stockman from the late 60's early 70's period. I sliced open the plastic cover on the pallet, and the lady asked what kind of knife that was. She was looking at it very intently, and I showed her the knife and she asked what kind of handlle that was. I explained abut Indian sambar stag, and she ran her finger over the ridges and popcorns, remarking how beautiful it was.
When I was having a difficulty with my left hand after hand surgery, a friend gave me a little peanut sized Bear Cutlery lockblade with a stag handle. That little knife got more comments than most of my other knives ever got. It seemed like everytime I took it out to cut something, I got a question on it. Even Karen was not immune after being around and me various knives for all these years. She liked it so much, it now rides in her purse as back up to her classic.
Years ago, my old Boker 240 with the rosewood scales got a lot of positive comments from both men and women. Not too long ago, a little yellow peanut got so much of a positive reaction from a young couple outside an IKEA store, I gave it too the young man. He had needed to cut some of the cord they have on a roll outside for people to tie stuff on the roof with, and somebody had walked off with the cheap sissors, so I loaned him my knife. It was less painful than watch him try to saw his way through some tough polypropoline line with his car key. He got to reminising about his grandfather, who carried a knife like that, so I told him to keep it and just give me coin.
With the rising amount of anti-knife stuff going on, I can only wonder if more people were exposed to traditional knives, would there be less bleeting. It seems like the rise of the black tactical stuff that people carry these days do not have the same acceptance as a small stockman, or maybe a yellow handle soddie, let alone a nice jigged bone or stag handle pocket knife. The red handle sak's and natural handle traditionals don't seem to stir any negative feelings like the other knives. Maybe because no Hollyweird movie has shown a slow two hand pocket knife used for mayhem.
I don't know where I'm going with this, just chewing over food for thought.
Maybe as traditional knife users, we are some sort of positive ambasadors for our hobby.
Or maybe I just havn't had my second cup of coffee yet.
Carl
